Obituary for Gary Gionet
Gary Stephen Gionet, 59, son of the late Ralph and Elizabeth Gionet, of Pittsfield, died with family and caregivers at his side September 23 at Berkshire Medical Center.
Living with autism from a young age, he leaves loving family and caregivers in addition to friends among the residents of the West House, a BCArc home in Pittsfield.
Gary and his four brothers Mark, of Alexandria, VA, Bruce, of Fort Lee, NJ, David, who predeceased Gary in 2008 in Fort Wayne, IN and Alan, of Evergreen, CO grew up in a home on Appleton Avenue. Ralph was a longtime department head with Pittsfield Public Schools as well as high school soccer coach and Elizabeth, a teacher and principal at Egremont and Redfield Elementary Schools. He also leaves his sisters in-law, Patricia, Barbara, Jo Ellen and Kim, nieces Anna, Gabrielle, Genevieve, Camille and Clarisse as well as his nephew Alex.
Gary spent many of his younger years at the Belchertown State School, before moving to the West House group home on West Street in 1991. There he many friends among the residents, including Margaret, Tina, Eric and more recently “The Two Sams." Among the broken hearts of Gary’s caregivers are longtime house manager Bernard Anoh, as well as current director Erwin Figueroa other caring staffers including Chantal, Tara, Augustine, Gladys, Davids, Patrick, Emmanuel, Sabrina, Carmen and nurses Melissa and Michelle as well as DDS, BCArc and Crossroads day program staff and many more.
Gary was a big teddy bear who favored blue or grey sweatpants and adopting his brothers' baseball caps. He was a talented solver of jigsaw puzzles, an attentive watcher of the white letters at the bottom of the TV screen and for many years could spell words forward or backward with equal speed. He was a committed coffee drinker and ate ice cream in big, wincing gulps. Thank yous were sincere and strong hugs were plentiful. Gary had love for everyone and was incapable of hate or ill-feelings. He was and will always be an example to all.
Upon his passing, he walked into the waiting arms of his parents, brother David and grandparents Jennifer and Frederick Gleason, of Lowell and Charles and Louise Gionet of Shirley.
Funeral services will be Thursday, October 13, at 12:50 p.m. at Dery Funeral Home, 54 Bradford St, Pittsfield. Calling hours will precede the service from 12 p.m. with reception and lunch to follow.
Donations in lieu of flowers can be made in Gary’s memory to BCArc at:
https://bcarc.org/donate/
Living with autism from a young age, he leaves loving family and caregivers in addition to friends among the residents of the West House, a BCArc home in Pittsfield.
Gary and his four brothers Mark, of Alexandria, VA, Bruce, of Fort Lee, NJ, David, who predeceased Gary in 2008 in Fort Wayne, IN and Alan, of Evergreen, CO grew up in a home on Appleton Avenue. Ralph was a longtime department head with Pittsfield Public Schools as well as high school soccer coach and Elizabeth, a teacher and principal at Egremont and Redfield Elementary Schools. He also leaves his sisters in-law, Patricia, Barbara, Jo Ellen and Kim, nieces Anna, Gabrielle, Genevieve, Camille and Clarisse as well as his nephew Alex.
Gary spent many of his younger years at the Belchertown State School, before moving to the West House group home on West Street in 1991. There he many friends among the residents, including Margaret, Tina, Eric and more recently “The Two Sams." Among the broken hearts of Gary’s caregivers are longtime house manager Bernard Anoh, as well as current director Erwin Figueroa other caring staffers including Chantal, Tara, Augustine, Gladys, Davids, Patrick, Emmanuel, Sabrina, Carmen and nurses Melissa and Michelle as well as DDS, BCArc and Crossroads day program staff and many more.
Gary was a big teddy bear who favored blue or grey sweatpants and adopting his brothers' baseball caps. He was a talented solver of jigsaw puzzles, an attentive watcher of the white letters at the bottom of the TV screen and for many years could spell words forward or backward with equal speed. He was a committed coffee drinker and ate ice cream in big, wincing gulps. Thank yous were sincere and strong hugs were plentiful. Gary had love for everyone and was incapable of hate or ill-feelings. He was and will always be an example to all.
Upon his passing, he walked into the waiting arms of his parents, brother David and grandparents Jennifer and Frederick Gleason, of Lowell and Charles and Louise Gionet of Shirley.
Funeral services will be Thursday, October 13, at 12:50 p.m. at Dery Funeral Home, 54 Bradford St, Pittsfield. Calling hours will precede the service from 12 p.m. with reception and lunch to follow.
Donations in lieu of flowers can be made in Gary’s memory to BCArc at:
https://bcarc.org/donate/